p53 signalling mediates acupuncture-induced neuroprotection in Parkinson's disease

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2015-05, Vol.460 (3), p.772-779
• Main Authors: Park, Ji-Yeun, Choi, Hwan, Baek, Soonbong, Jang, Jaehwan, Lee, Ahreum, Jeon, Songhee, Kim, Jongpil, Park, Hi-Joon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acupuncture; Animals; Male; Mechanism; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neurons - pathology; Parkinson Disease - metabolism; Parkinson Disease - physiopathology; Parkinson Disease - prevention & control; Parkinson's disease; Signal Transduction; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - metabolism
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.03.105

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with a selective loss of dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. Recently, it has been demonstrated that acupuncture treatment has protective effects in PD. However, to date, the molecular mechanisms underlying acupuncture's effect on DA neuronal protection are largely unknown. In this study, we report that p53 signalling mediates the protective effects of acupuncture treatment in a mouse model of PD. We found that the acupuncture treatment in the mouse PD model results in significant recovery to the normal in the context of behaviour and molecular signatures. We found that the gene network associated with p53 signalling is closely involved in the protective effects of acupuncture treatment in PD. Consistent with this idea, we demonstrated that specific knockout of the p53 gene in the midbrain DA neurons abrogates the acupuncture induced protective effects in the mouse model of PD. Thus, these data suggest that p53 signalling mediates the protective effects of acupuncture treatment in PD. •p53 signaling mediates the protective effects of acupuncture treatment in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.•Acupuncture treatment results in significant recovery to the normal in the context of behavior and molecular signatures.•Specific knockout of the p53 gene in the midbrain dopamine neurons abrogates the acupuncture induced protective effects.